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Once part of the vast Mongol Empire, Mongolia is a landlocked country between Russia and China. For some travelers it quickens the pulse with the promise of a wilderness untouched by modern life. While that is no longer true of the capital, Ulaanbaatar, where cell phones and cocktail bars are common, many Mongolians live a semi-nomadic life, eking out a living from herding yak, and sleeping in felt tents, known as gers. Foreign visitors to Mongolia often arrive via the Trans-Mongolian Express train that connects Moscow to Beijing. The line, which began construction in 1949, provided the first real chance to travel in Mongolia by train.

Trans-Mongolian Express Route

The Trans-Mongolian Express runs once a week from Moscow to Beijing. A branch of the Trans-Siberian Express, it is the most interesting of the Trans-Siberian routes, according to the Man in Seat 61 website. Passengers get a panoramic view of the Mongolian lifestyle as the train journeys through the vast Gobi Desert and passes camels and ger camps. It is important to stress the trains are not tourist trains, but provide travel for locals and tourists. As such, you can disembark at any station along the way. To travel on the Trans Mongolian you will need to catch Train Number 4 on trains that depart from Moscow, and Train Number 3 on trains that depart from Beijing. If you disembark, instead of waiting for the next Trans Mongolian you can catch local trains, with twice-weekly connections to Beijing and a daily connection to the Russian city of Irkutsk from Ulaanbaatar. The Trans-Mongolian Express makes eight stops within Mongolia, a journey of approximately 42 hours.

Station Locations of the Trans-Mongolian Express

The first train stop from Russia is Khoit, best known for its cave paintings. The wall art dates back 20,000 years to the Paleolithic period and depicts elephants, camels and antelope, among other creatures. The stop at Darhan-I, two hours south of Khoit, is a convenient place to arrange transport to the monastery at Amarbayasgalant Khiid. The 18th-century complex, one of the best Buddhist attractions in Mongolia, sits in the steep valley of the Burenkhan Mountains. Lively Ulaanbaater stirs the imagination, due to its stark contrast to the Mongolian wilderness. The best place to rest in comfortable hotels, it is also ideal for stocking up on snacks for the journey south through the Gobi Desert. Most tourists looking to stay in the desert camps join tours in Ulaanbaatar and travel on by road. The Trans Mongolian stops at three stations as it heads from Ulaanbaatar through the desert towards China. Journey times range from four hours to a non-stop 19-hour from Zamiin-Uud to Shainshand on the border.

Trans-Mongolian Express Tickets and Train Facilities

Many tourists choose to travel the entire length of the Trans Mongolian and purchase their tickets from local agents in Moscow or Beijing. Others join organized tours and turn the adventure into a two-week vacation. It is possible to buy tickets for individual journeys within Mongolia, but The Man in Seat 61 website warns that demand often exceeds supply and buying in advance from a ticket agency, such as Discover Mongolia (discovermongolia.mn), is strongly advised. Seats come in three categories, from four-berth sleepers to first-class sleepers; the latter is recommended for longer journeys. There is also a Mongolian restaurant car, and Western-style bathroom facilities located at the end of each carriage.

Local Trains

The construction of the Trans Mongolian made local train travel possible. Local trains largely follow the line of the Express, but stop at more stations. Services run once a day between most destinations, such as Darhan-I to Ulaanbaatar, or Choir – the first stop south of Ulaanbaatar – and Shainshand on the Chinese border. You can buy tickets in advance on the Mongolian Railways website (urtu.net). Sleeping cars should be reserved in advance, but economy class seats are available and are divided into reserved and non-reserved carriages. Tickets can be bought direct at the railway stations.

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About the Author

Based in London, Andrew Copestake has been writing lifestyle articles since 2000. His articles have appeared in “Sunday Times Travel” magazine, “MSN Travel" and on the British Airways website. He has also contributed to “Time Out” guidebooks and “Insight” guides. Copestake holds a Bachelor of Arts in creative writing and film from London Metropolitan University.